Handling Criticism

I was grieved this weekend as I heard that one of our own ministers in an area not to far away from us was voted out by his congregation. This young man and his wife recently moved to this church over a year ago and poured their heart into this church. Every time I spoke with him, he was upbeat about what was happening there. To my surprise, I heard that the people decided to let him go. This man did not have a moral failure of any kind and was simply trying to do his best. Someone commented to me about this church simply saying, "The people are just plain mean there." This is something I do not understand when it comes to churches around our area. I was searching some blogs on the internet and I found an interesting article from a pastor in Ohio. He is simply quoting Spurgeon from years ago. Here is what Spurgeon said;

“Many hearers lose much blessing through criticizing too much, and meditating too little; and many more incur great sin by calumniating those who live for the good of others. True pastors have enough of care and travail without being burdened by undeserved and useless fault-finding. We have something better to do than to be for ever answering every malignant or frivolous slander which is set afloat to injure us….there are tender, loving spirits who feel the trial very keenly, and are sadly hindered in brave service by cruel assaults. The rougher and stronger among us laugh at those who ridicule us, but upon others the effect is very sorrowful…
As ministers we are very far from being perfect, but many of us are doing our best, and we are grieved that the minds of our people should be more directed to our personal imperfections than to our divine message….

Filled with the same spirit of contrariety, the men of this world still depreciate the ministers whom God sends them and profess that they would gladly listen if different preachers could be found. Nothing can please them, their cavils are dealt out with heedless universality. Cephas is too blunt, Apollos is too flowery, Paul is too argumentative, Timothy is too young, James is too severe, John is too gentle…

Well then, let each servant of God tell his message in his own way. To his own Master he shall stand or fall…

Judge the preacher if you like, but do remember that there is something better to be done than that, namely, to get all the good you can out of him, and pray his Master to put more good into him.”

Amen to Spurgeon! I am very thankful for our church as we do not deal with much criticism here but my heart goes out to the pastors around the world that deal with it day in and day out. Remember to pray for your pastor and pray as Spurgeon as said, "That God would put more good into him."